Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lecanora coralliza Nyl., Flora 58: 15 (1875).

Description : Thallus similar to C. vitellina, but the thick, coarsely areolate thallus surface is entirely composed of ±continuous, or occasionally compacted, ±spherical, to coralloid granules, 0.05–0.3 mm diam. Apothecia rare, 0.5–1.5 mm diam., thalline margin granular. Hymenium 90–100 μm tall. Paraphyses 1.5–2 μm thick. Ascospores many per ascus, oblong-ellipsoidal, to ±curved, 10–14 × 4.5–6 μm.

Chemistry : Thallus K−; containing calycin and pulvinic acid dilactone.

S: Nelson (Kakapo Peak, Snowden Ra.), Otago (Gem Lake, Umbrella Mountains; Poolburn, Serpentine, Rough Ridge), Southland (Borland Saddle). St: C: (Jacquemart I.). Ant: On bird-perch rocks in alpine grassland and on seashore rocks visited by birds. Associated in alpine areas with Caloplaca murrayii, Flavoparmelia haysomii, Lecanora polytropa, Physcia adscendens, P. caesia, P. tribacia, Teloschistes velifer, Stereocaulon ramulosum, Xanthoparmelia spp. Probably more widely distributed than records show. In Britain and Europe it is not an urban species, having a more restricted habitat range than C. vitellina (which it closely resembles), being confined to natural siliceous outcrops or isolated boulders used as bird perches in inland, and especially, coastal areas, being frequent on sarsen stones and basalt (James & Gilbert 1992). It has been recorded from 5000 m in the Himalaya (Poelt & Reddi 1969). Known also from Great Britain, Europe, Scandinavia, Asia, North and South America (Hakulinen 1954; Thomson 1973; Purvis et al. 1992; Nimis 1993; Santesson 1993; Esslinger & Egan 1995; Galloway & Quilhot 1999; Scholz 2000; Coppins 2002b; Nimis & Martellos 2003; Santesson et al. 2004). First recorded in New Zealand from near the Borland Saddle in 1995 by Volkmar Wirth (Wirth 1997).

Cosmopolitan

Illustrations : Hakulinen (1954: 26, tab. I, fig. 21; tab. V, fig. 18); Poelt & Reddi (1969: 9, fig. 1); Jahns (1980: 203, fig. 466); Moberg & Holmåsen (1982: 132); Wirth (1987: 109; 1995b: 243); Heibel et al. (1999: 250); Dobson (2005: 111).

Candelariella coralliza is characterised by: the thick, coarsely areolate thallus of spherical, to coralloid granules; and a preference for nutrient-enriched bird-perch rocks, both alpine and seashore.